1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a welding torch detector for detecting inclination of a welding torch provided at a welding robot, and a welding robot system.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been known a device having a welding torch provided at an arm tip part of a welding robot and configured to detect an amount of deviation between a tip position of a welding wire fed from the welding torch and a predetermined target position of the welding wire. For example, the device described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 4665243 (JP4665243B) measures the tip position of the welding wire by a laser sensor, and acquires a deviation amount of the wire tip position from the predetermined target position. The device also measures a tip position of the welding torch by a measuring unit, and acquires a deviation amount of the torch tip position from a reference position.
The welding torch provided at the arm tip part is relatively long. Consequently, for example, when the welding torch is deformed to bend after instructing the robot, there is a possibility that the welding torch may interfere with a welding tool or a peripheral device. In this connection, since the device described in JP4665243B measures only the tip position of the welding wire and the tip position of the welding torch, it is difficult to prevent interference of the welding torch when the welding torch is deformed.